Who I Am
by Stormyskies89
Summary: Bruce ha to understand that Ella will never be that girl in the magazine. He ha to understand...like Steve does. Bruce/OC and then Steve/OC


**Title:** Who I Am

**Summary:** "That is not who I am, Bruce. I'll never be who you want me to be." "I just want you to be yourself." "You want me to be Eleanor Stark, not Ella Stark. That's who I am."

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Avengers. Only the DVDs.

**A/N:** Seriously I have to say it again…no flames, not accepted.

**2****nd**** A/N:** This is a little different from my other ones. Hopefully it lives up to my expectations.

* * *

24-year-old Eleanor Stark, or Ella as she preferred and will be referred to in this story, sat with her back against the body of the couch, a book open on her knees. She was sketching a habit she'd picked up form many summers hoping her father would come out of his stupid workshop and hang out with her. When he hadn't once when she was 8 she'd picked up a book that she didn't use at school and began to draw. At first it was just flowers and basic sketches of people. Then she got better and began to sketch all sorts of things. Her mother – whom she'd never met – had apparently been a good artist. But that remains to be seen. At this point behind Ella was Steve Rogers and he too was sketching. In fact they were the only two occupants of the lounge in Stark Tower. They had been sitting there for at least an hour with the TV on in the background – or at least it _had_ been. Clint and Natasha sudden invaded their space jumping over one another to get to the remote first. Suddenly just as Ella lifted her pencil off the page a body slammed into hers.

"Ow!" She yelled out as she hit the floor. Steve shot up and helped her to her feet.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"I think it'll bruise, but I'll live. Can you two be any more childish?" Ella snapped at the pair of brunette assassins as they sat staring at her in mild horror that they had hurt Tony's pride and joy. If it was serious they would be seriously hurt too. Natasha got up to inspect the arm as well; it was starting to turn a nasty purple colour. As she looked at it both Bruce and Tony emerged from the elevator talking about plans for Ella's new instalment in her floor of the tower.

"What are we looking at?" Tony asked.

"Ella's temporary tattoo, courtesy of Clint being childish." Natasha said.

"Temporary Tattoo?" Bruce seemed confused but Tony was already inspecting Ella's arm as well. Sure enough it was now a beautiful purple colour. Tony gripped her hand and led her into the kitchen. Ella complained that is seriously wasn't that bad, it was only a bruise but Tony ignored her.

"I'll kill him." Tony growled.

"No, Daddy. It's just a bruise. Steve, please."

"Tony. Ella is not dying. She will be fine. Her arm will hurt for a while but the bruise will fade and she'll right as rain before long." Steve said. 1940s logic making some sense in Tony's brain.

"Can I hurt him just a little?" Tony asked with a pout.

"I think Tasha has that covered." Sure enough they could hear him protesting to them watching the lifestyle channel and not pro wrestling.

* * *

Bruce and Ella had been friends for a long time. When she was 19 the Tesseract was found and put New York at peril. She had been in L.A. at the time and had watched the whole thing on TV. She had flown back to New York as soon as she could. She had arrived at Stark Tower and nearly cried at what had happened to it. She had arrived there to find her father and Bruce messing around with plans and Pepper helping Tony rebuild the permanent fixture in New York's skyline. But Tony had explained that it would now be – Avenger's Tower. Ella had never really thought of herself as famous because of her parentage but it all happened rather quickly. First it was because she was Tony's daughter; _Time_, _Money_, _Chief Executive_, _Forbes_ and finally also on the cover of several women's magazines too, including: _OK!_, _People_, _Us Weekly_ and _Star._ Her father joked she was more popular than he was. But the second time it was because she lived in Avenger's tower with the whole team everyone wanted an insight into the Avengers.

When she arrived back at the tower, after one such interview, in fits of giggles that only intensified when Clint asked her what was so funny she was able to choke out that Clint was a Gay Sex Symbol. The question still lingered in her mind _How has Clint Barton, Hawkeye, reacted to being a male Gay Sex Symbol?_

This sent Natasha, Tony and Bruce into laughter too. Steve frowned and asked why that was so funny as did Thor and Clint sulked.

* * *

By the time Ella was 20-years-old her and Bruce had a somewhat awkward relationship. He couldn't get too excited or he'd turn, he could get hurt or he'd turn and most of all she couldn't argue with him or he was likely to turn. So they couldn't do anything but the occasional kiss or something. Nothing too drastic. But Ella was a women she had urges just like Bruce did, but Bruce had lived in Calcutta. He hadn't been surrounded by women like Ella for those years, he'd been fine, no temptations. There was one big problem Ella faced. When her father got Bruce drunk. He didn't turn but he became a violent drunk. Ella would appear with blossoming bruise days or weeks later and Bruce would ask how she got them. She'd lie and say she'd walked into a door or something. Only one person knew that it was Bruce who injured her during these drunken rampages, because he stopped them.

This was one such drunken rampage. Bruce wouldn't so much yell at her, but he'd hit her. Hurt her. Tony knew what he did when he was drunk but Bruce lost all sense of himself. Like when he was Hulk. Ella knew she should take it like her father would expect her to, but tears gathered in her eyes and she scrambled to get away it was too much. Suddenly arms wrapped around her shoulders, protecting her. Her best friend. Her saviour.

"Back off Banner. She's a woman. Worse than that she's your girlfriend."

"I don't have to listen to you. You're a chorus girl." Bruce had seen the vision of Captain America's shows. His next punch was aimed at Steve's jaw but the Captain dodged it and shoved Ella behind him to protect her. Ella stayed behind him, watching as he was able subdue Bruce with ease. He was able to render the doctor unconscious and laid him out on the couch. Then Steve turned to Ella. He pulled her into a hug, he knew exactly how to make her feel like someone really did care for her. He would look after her. Make sure she was ok.

"Are you alright now? Are you alright?" Steve asked. Ella nodded against his chest.

"Just don't wanna sleep alone tonight." She whispered, Steve nodded he understood. They went to her floor and Ella collected the stuff she'd need for a 'sleep over' which often happened after a fight with Bruce, she made her own way to Steve's floor. She didn't have to knock, the door had been left open but she paused before going in, voices were coming from inside.

"It has got to stop. He can't go on hurting her. She's his girlfriend, Tony." Steve was saying.

"I know. But it's not my fault he drinks so much. How is she?" He father's voice replied.

"She is bruised and battered. She doesn't want to sleep alone. So she'll be in here with me. She does this every time. It has to stop." Steve said. He hated it when she got hurt.

"What do you want me to do?" Tony asked.

"Get rid of every bit of alcohol – just not the cleansing alcohol." Steve aid, Ella could almost see the slight smile that would accompany that.

"All of it?" Tony squeaked.

"All of it. Even the scotch." Steve said. Ella bit her lip to stop the giggle that threatened to bubble up out of her throat.

"But…but Steeeeve." Tony whined, but Steve didn't give up.

"No. All of it Tony. Don't make me do it myself. She's your daughter, you have to protect her. If not you then I'll make sure he never touches her again." Steve threatened, Ella stepped back as her father walked out not seeing her.

"How much did you hear?" Steve asked when she came in, "I knew you were there." He said.

"Oh…enough to know that you want my dad to get rid of all the alcohol in the house." She giggled. Steve smiled.

"It's one way to stop you from being hurt." He said, she smiled at him, it was true, that was one way, but Steve couldn't stop the emotional hurt.

* * *

"I cannot believe you!" Ella voice was soaked in disbelief. She stormed into the lounge and turned when another voice followed her.

"I don't understand why you're so upset." Bruce followed her into the room.

"You don't get it do you? I'm not that girl!"

"Well then forgive me, because she must be your twin!" Bruce threw the magazine in his hand down and Steve – who had been sketching – saw what they were talking about. It was an article in _Time_ magazine that was about what life was like for her to be the child prodigy of Tony Stark. The photo of her made her out to be perfectly proportioned and perfect in every way.

"Sometimes Bruce, I don't know what I ever saw in you." Ella said shaking her head slowly.

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked, Ella turned on him she pointed at the magazine on the floor.

"That is not who I am, Bruce. I'll never be who you want me to be." Ella said, they had drawn the attention of Thor and Clint who had been playing the Wii and Natasha who had been reading.

"I just want you to be yourself." Bruce said shaking his head.

"You want me to be Eleanor Stark, not Ella Stark. That's who I am." Ella snapped before walking away to the elevator, Steve knew she'd go up to her floor. She needed a minute to cool down.

"Dr Banner – leave her for a minute. She needs to cool down." Steve said when Bruce went to follow her. Bruce nodded at Steve and joined him on the couch.

"Where does she sleep when I get drunk and…you know?" He asked, Steve stiffened slightly but told him anyway.

"My room. She sleeps in my room." Steve said.

"She doesn't sleep with you though?" Bruce asked, Steve shook his head.

"Next to me. I guess it's a comfort." He said with a shrug. Bruce nodded.

"Good. It's good that she can find comfort in just being with someone." He said, "Maybe that is the sort of man she needs. Someone who will just lie with her and someone who wants her to just be Ella." He said getting up.

* * *

Ella mumbled a 'come in' later when Bruce knocked on her bedroom door. He poked his head in gave her a small smile. He had tried to avoid this choice but he knew her had to make it before she made it herself. It would hurt him a lot more if she made this decision and told him it was over, it made it easier for him if he ended it. It wouldn't hurt as much.

"Hi. How are you feeling?" He asked softly. She shrugged, "look I think that maybe we're not as suited as people think." Ella's head shot up.

"What do you mean?" She asked. She hated to think that maybe he was suggesting what she thought he was. He couldn't be, he couldn't mean it.

"I mean, that maybe we don't belong together. You need someone who wants Ella. Not Eleanor." Bruce said, he remained standing.

"But B-Bruce…" Ella began softly, standing up.

"No. You need someone like that. You need someone…like Steve." He said, saying the first name that came to mind, but then thinking about it, Steve was the best choice for her. Steve was the one who would give her the king of love that Bruce would never be able to.

"S-Steve?" She asked, almost inaudible. She knew she liked Steve but she had never thought of her best friend in that way.

"Yeah. Someone who will just comfort you when you need it. And kiss you like the first time over and over again." Bruce said. With that said it came to end of what had been a beautiful relationship.

* * *

Ella enjoyed being with Steve, she realized that she must have loved him all along, but Bruce was the familiar that is why they had started and not her and Steve. After he kissed her after a mission that had left him a bit worse for wear, he asked him a question that had played on her mind the last 4 months.

"How do you do that?" she asked.

"What?" He replied frowning and pulling his uniform off of his torso. He winced as his shoulder protested violently.

"Kiss me over and over like it's the first time all over again?" Ella said sitting down behind him and helping him got the latex off and rubbing his shoulder to work the muscles loose.

"Do you not like it?" He asked.

"I do. It makes me feel special." She told him leaning her head on his shoulder now and kissing it softly.

"Good. I was hoping for that. I want to make you feel special because you are special, Ella. In every way you are special." He told her, turning his head to kiss her gently.

"Thanks Steve." Ella whispered. Steve kissed her again; it did feel like the first time for him, it was too good to be true for him, he felt that if he didn't kiss her like that, she'd disappear. And he didn't want to lose her. Not when he was finally dating her. When he was finally the one she turned to for the love she needed. The one that she fought with. The one that she truly loved. He pulled away and locked eyes with her, she was his and perfect. Perfect to him.

* * *

"What is your problem?" This was the start of many of their fights. Steve would always walk away but today he didn't want to.

"What is my problem? You are my problem!" He yelled back at Ella, who looked surprised and her voice instantly dropped in volume.

"Me?" She asked, an eyebrow rising in question.

"Yes. You are my problem. I love you. I love your name. I love the way you look at me. I love your gorgeous smile. I love the way I can be having the worst day of my life and seeing you completely changes my mood. That's my problem." Steve said, he was still seething but then she smiled. His statement about all that he loved about her had changed her mood completely. She came towards him and wrapped her arms around his middle resting her cheek on his chest.

"Something my mother told me, before she died. She told me to find a guy who will I can go to in my sweats, eyes red, make-up running down my face, hair a mess and the first he does is pull me close and tell me I'm beautiful – and that he means it." Ella said quietly.

"I can be that guy." Steve whispered kissing her head, Ella giggled and pulled back to look at him.

"Steve, you _are_ that guy. You always were." She said with a shake of her head. Steve pulled her back lifted her chin and kissed her gently, just like he had the first time they'd kissed, on the roof of Stark Tower when she was telling him what she wanted in a guy.

"_Ella?" Ella turned to see Steve walking towards her._

"_Hey Soldier." She said; he sat down next to her._

"_What are you doing out here?" He asked._

"_Thinking. What about you?" She asked._

"_Wanted to see the stars." He told her, she laughed._

"_Good luck with that." She said, "This is New York. So good luck seeing stars here." She said._

"_I heard you and Banner broke up." Steve said leaning back on his hands._

"_You could say that. I say he broke up with me." Ella said._

"_Did he say why?" Steve asked._

"_He said I deserved someone better." Ella told him._

"_Better…how?" Steve asked, Banner had told him that he thought Ella needed someone like Steve._

"_He said someone who would want Ella. Not Eleanor." Ella said._

"_Have you found anyone like that?" Steve asked._

"_I don't know." Ella said softly._

"_Well maybe I can help. What would you like in your dream man?" Steve had caught on to a lot of the language changes since his time and the smile that Ella gave him made him laugh, "Come on. I promise I won't tell." She laughed._

"_All right, Soldier. I want the type of guy the pulls me closer when I try to pull away. The guy that comforts me when I cry. The guy that never tells me to leave no matter how mad he is. The type of guy who lifts my chin and kisses me gently. The guy that holds on when I want to give up. The type of guy that loves me no matter what." Ella told him truthfully she had just told him all the things he would do and had done for her._

"_That's a good guy." Steve nodded._

"_Yeah. I just wish I knew who he was." Ella said with a smile._

"_Maybe you'll find him one day." Steve said getting up._

"_You dork Steve! I'm talking about you! You are the only person I would trust with my life! You are the only person who can make me feel like my opinions means something, you know? You are that good guy." Ella said as she chased him and tackled him to the ground, friends could do that, but this was about to become more then friends. As Steve leaned up and kissed her softly, putting all that he was into that kiss she knew it meant a whole lot more than any of Bruce's kisses ever did._

Steve had made her feel special every day since. And now he's just being Steve. And that is all she would ever ask of him.

"All I ask it that you be Ella." He whispered softly on her lips.

"That's exactly who I am." Ella teased as she pulled back and then danced back to the elevator. Steve followed if he was any judge on those sort of looks he knew what was to follow. He was about to learn all about Ella.


End file.
